Lt. Col. Lewis Paul L.P. Baker

Spearfish, SD Lt. Col. Lewis Paul "L.P." Baker (Ret.), age 81 of Spearfish, SD formerly of Rock Rapids, IA died Sunday, September 3, 2006, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City, SD. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 8, at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa with the Rev. Jim Little officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Riverview Cemetery at Rock Rapids. Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. Thursday at the Roste Funeral Home of Rock Rapids, with family members present between 6-8 p.m. Memorial services will also be held in his honor at a later date for his Black Hills area family and friends. Lewis Paul "L.P." Baker was born August 18, 1925, at Inwood, Iowa to Everett "E.T." and Helene (Dyvig) Baker, the first of two children. At about his age 5, he was joined by a sister, Arlene, and the family moved to George, Iowa. At the age of 13, his family moved to Rock Rapids, IA where L.P. graduated from high school with the Class of 1943. While still in high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program at Omaha, Neb, in February of 1943 and was placed in Reserve status until his 18th birthday and was ordered to active duty at that time. While awaiting duty orders, he attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. After separation from active duty in 1945, Baker returned to Rock Rapids and worked in partnership with his father E.T. in a credit bureau. The father and son started a small print shop business. Baker was elected Justice of the Peace and served in that capacity until 1976 when he was appointed Judicial Magistrate for Lyon County, IA., a position he held until July 1, 1985 when he retired. He also served as Veterans Service Officer for many years. On April 25, 1945 he was married to Mary Margaret Hanson in Rock Rapids, IA where they made their home until the time of her death in May 1984. To that couple was born three children. He married Virginia Danley Goodnough of Spearfish, South Dakota on June 1, 1985. Survivors include three children, son, David Baker and his wife, Diane of Elkton, SD; daughter Janice Sampson and her husband Ron of Grimes, IA, and daughter Peggy Riggs and her husband Randy of Larchwood, IA. Also surviving are step-children Ryne Goodnough and his wife Beth of Gillette, WY, Rob Goodnough of Spearfish, SD and Ruthie Goodnough Weiers and her husband Larry of Spearfish, SD. The combined union of Paul's family and Virginia's family brought together the lives of grandchildren, Barrett, Hayden, Dustin, Aaron, Melissa, Hunter, Tahnee, Sarah, Amanda, Jennifer, Alex, Katie, Shanna, Evan and Eric and 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Margaret, his second wife Virginia and her son, Randy Goodnough, brother-in-law Bob Ballenger and brother and sister-in-law Jerry and Donna Hanson.